1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lamp shades, and especially a method for making and altering lamp shades that can be practiced in the home.
2. The State of the Art
Ever since people starting using small light sources, whether from electric bulbs, from small gas mantles, or oil lamps, there has been a desire to shade the light to create a more balanced illumination or just for decoration.
There have been various types of shades that are relatively easy to assemble. Read, Jr., in U.S. Pat. No. 103,928, describes a paper or cardboard shade secured in a conical form with wire paper clip-like fasteners. Spellman, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,309,263, and Baker, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,477,991, describe cardboard or paper lamp-shades that can be formed into a conical shape and held with a tab and slot configuration. Laws, in U.S. Pat. No. 86,987, describes a lamp shade having similar tabs and slots but made with sheet metal. Huang, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,031, describes a lamp shade held in a conical form by a wire fastener akin to those used in spiral-bound notebooks.
Other lamp shades use a plurality of panels. For example, Heise, in U.S. Pat. No. 3;582,643, Mann, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,896, and Hagelthom, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,529, each discloses a lamp shade made from a plurality of panels, optionally where a panel has a design on it: Huang, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,155, discloses multiple panels secured with wire fastener akin to those used in spiral-bound notebooks. Goodloe, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,813,492, discloses the use of wood panels. Shapiro, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,863,767, discloses the use of parchment paper to cast light both up and down. Leitner et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,474, discloses a do-it-yourself lamp shade kit with a pattern cutout for fabric. Hackett et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,024, discloses a method for securing a lampshade to a frame.
The art is devoid of a lamp shade which can not only be made from a kit, but which can be changed after it has been used, and changed in an easily-implemented manner so that even children can have fun creating and using new lamp shades.
In light of the foregoing, one object of this invention is to provide a lamp shade kit that can be easily assembled. Another object is to provide such a kit where a pattern or design can be provided for the shade, and especially where the pattern or design can be changed when desired, thereby necessitating that the shade be easily disassembled and reassembled. Still another object is to provide such a kit wherein the pattern or design can be produced on a personal computer, the pattern or design printed out and then applied to the panels, and the same done as desired.
Thus, in one aspect this invention provides a lamp shade comprising a plurality of panels which, when joined, provide a conical surface having the top and bottom opened, each of the panels have a top and a bottom edge and opposing side edges, each of the side edges having a plurality of holes, adjacent panels being held together by overlapping their corresponding side edges effective to register the holes of one edge with the holes of the other edge, and inserting separately into each of the plurality of the registered holes a removable fastener. In a preferred embodiment, the invention further comprises a sheet of adhesive paper having a pattern or design thereon adhered to at least one of the panels and preferably to all. In another embodiment the invention comprises modifying the lamp shade so created by printing out a new pattern or design, disassembling the assembled lamp shade, applying the new pattern design to at least one of the panels, and then reassembling the lamp shade.